The administration of Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology on Monday announced it had suspended the opening of the 2019-2020 academic year due to lack of food for students.
The notice served to inform all students that the school will not open as scheduled on April 15, 2018.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the university’s acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Wani Lado Worja said the decision was reached at a Dean’s Board meeting after the food contractor failed to supply on time.
“Our food contractor promised to supply us food before March 14, but he failed. So as the school we decided to suspend the opening of the university due to student feeding problem. And we urged the students except those sitting for supplementary examinations to vacate the university,” he said.
He pointed out that the students will be notified when the university will open, saying they are engaging the higher education ministry to resolve the issue.
“We have students from all the regions. We cannot reopen when there is no food. So I want the students to wait patiently, vacate the university and stay on their own,” he said.
However, the students did not receive the news well and called for government intervention.
“We want the university to be opened. As students, the decision by the school administration is greatly affecting us,” said Nyanamol David, a student at the institution.
Manar Ayuen also a student said the decision to close the university will affect many students especially those from Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria regions as no one will cater to their feeding and accommodation.
“If the university remains closed we will be affected. If they opened it without services we will also be affected. So the government and the lectures must reach a consensus and find solutions to this problem,” said yet another student who preferred to remain anonymous.